Illuminated sign.



No. 674,8l6. Patented May 2|, I901.

F. E. SMITH &. F. G. WATSON. ILLUMYINATED SIGN.

{Application filed July 1 3, 1900. (No Model.)

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FRANK E. SMITH AND FRANK O. FATSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,816, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed July 13,1900- Serial No. 23.506. (No model-J 1'0 (of/l whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK E. SMITH and FRANK G. WATSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention pertains to illuminated signs, and has reference more particularly to that class thereof commonly employed on electric cars and the like.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a front elevation, partly in section, of the sign; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 a similar view on the line 3 3.

The object of the present invention is to produce a compact and simple sign, one in which the various name-plates may be readily brought to position and the casing orsign as a whole readily attached to the car or vehicle.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the casing, preferably cylindrical in cross-section and having an opening formed in oneside thereof, through which the sign may be viewed. Extending inwardly from the ends or heads of the casing are stems or posts B, carrying at their inner end electric lamps O. Said stems serve to carry the current-conducting wires D, which when the sign or casing is in place may be connected with any suitable source of electricity. To the under side of the casing there is hinged a door E, provided with a handle F, said door having pivot-ally connected to its inner face an arm G, provided with an offset H and a hook I at its inner end. Normally the rod is pressed up against the stem B by a spring J, so that when the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 2 the offset or shoulder H will pass over the tube or stem B and hold the door in its closed position. When the door is opened or brought down to that position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the hooked end I engages the Stem or post 13 and prevents further withdrawal of the door.

The signs K, here shown as glass plates having the street-name or other designation thereon, are held in a suitable frame or support composed of two heads or end pieces L, with connecting members M of U form in cross-section extending between the heads and made fast to their peripheries. Said signs K may he slid endwise into and out of the frame thus constructed when it becomes necessary or desirable to change them.

Upon reference to Fig 3 it will be noted that the heads L are provided with a way or channel, so that the sign may be pushed up into the main frame or casing, the posts B, of which there 'is preferably one at each end of the main frame or casing, passing into the ways or channels.

To properly hold the sign frame or holder in position,we employ two spring arms or fingers N, so arranged and adjusted with relation to the slots formed in the heads that when the sign-holder is pushed to place the spring-arms will pass about the stems or posts B, closing over the same, as indicated in Fig. 3. While these arms prevent the sign-holder from dropping out of the casing before the door is closed and also in a measure preclude the sign-holder from turning, yet it is desirable to employ some other or additional means to avoid any possibility of the said holder.

turning after it is once brought to the desired position. To this end we employ a springarm 0, formed with a slight depression in its outer free end, the depression bearing upon two of the members M, which lie immediately below it, when the sign desired to be exhibited is brought into line with the opening left in the casing. To assist the spring-arm O in its action, there is preferably employed a curved saddle or seat P, Fig. 3, in or upon which rest two of the connecting members M of the sign-holder.

It will be seen that only one of the nameplates can be brought to view at a time; but when it is desired to change the same all that the motorman or conductor has to do is to pull down the door and rotate the sign-holder until the desired name-plate is brought in line with the opening in the casing.

An arm G will preferably be employed at each end of the door, and likewise springarms N will be preferably employed at each end of the sign-holder.

An illuminated sign made in accordance with this invention may be constructed at a very slight cost, and also has a further advantage in that it may be readily attached or applied to the brackets now commonly used at each end of a car. The time necessary to change the names is very short, and the sign as a whole may therefore be readily and quickly transferred from one car to another should occasion for so doing arise.

It is evident that by simply changing the proportions of the device the sign holder or casing may be made to carry any desired number of plates.

The signs proper may be of any transparent or semitransparent material.

Having thus'described our invention, what we claim is 1. In combination with a main frame or casing having an opening formed therein; a signholder mounted in said casing and readily removable therefrom; and means for holding said sign-holder in its adjusted position in the casing.

2. In combination with ashell or casing having an opening through which to display a sign; stems or axles carried by said casing and extending inward from the ends thereof; a rotatable sign-holder having heads slotted to straddle said stems or axles; and means for retaining the slotted heads upon said stems or axles.

3. In combination with a shell or casing provided with longitudinally-armnged stems or axles; a rotatable sign-carrier provided with slotted heads to straddle the stems or axles and with springs adapted to pass over the same and to retain the sign-holder against accidental displacement, but to yield to moderate force and permit the ready removal of the sign-holder when required.

4. In combination with a shell or casinghaving an opening formed therein; stems or posts extending inwardly from each end thereof; a removable sign-holder; mea ns carried by said sign-holder for embracing said stems; and means for holding the sign-holder in its adjusted position.

5. In combination with a shell or casing having an opening formed therein; stems or posts extending inwardly from each end thereof; electric lamps carried by said posts; a removable sign-holder revolnbly mounted upon said stems; and means for normally holding said sign-holder against rotation.

6. In combination with a shell or oasinghaving an opening formed therein; a sign-holder mounted within said shell or casing; stems or posts extending inwardly from each head of said casing; a door hinged to the casing; rods pivoted to said door, said rods having hooked ends and offsets formed intermediate their ends; and means for holding said rods in contact with said stems or posts.

7. In combination with a shell or casing having two openings formed therein; stems or posts extendinginwardly from each end thereof; a door pivoted to the shell or casing adjacent to one of said openings; arms pivoted to the face of said door, said arms being provided with offsets; means for normally holding said arms up against the stems or posts; a sign-holder revolubly mounted within said shell or casing; means for connecting said sign-holder to the stems or posts; and means for normally holding the sign-holder in its adjusted position within the casing.

8. In combination with a shell or casing having two openings formed therein; stems or posts extending inwardly from each end thereof; a door hinged to the shell or casing adjacent to one of said openings; arms G pivotally connected to the door; springs for normally holding said arms up against the stems; a sign-holder comprising slotted heads L connected by members M; spring-arms N carried by said sign-holder thus formed; and means carried by the shell or casing for engaging the sign-holder and preventing it from rotating within the shell or casing.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. SMITH. FRANK O. WATSON. Witnesses:

M. L. FINoKEL, J r., HARRISON SOUDER. 

